Is it safe for a 32 year old to have blepharoplasty? (photo)

Doctor Answers (12)

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Eyelid surgery in the 30's

October 22nd, 2013

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At your age you should be able to do a Eyelid operation without needing to worry about health dangers. This is a very safe operation if performed by a well trained, board certified surgeon. From your picture it looks like you have hereditary fullness of the lower eyelid. You may be able to get by with just doing your lower lids (ie, removing the extra fat from your lower eyelids). Of course you should see a well qualified surgeon. This type of procedure is usually done by Plastic Surgeons or Oculoplastic surgeons. You should have a nice result. Good luck. Saeed Marefat, MD

Early lower blepharoplasty

October 22nd, 2013

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Age is not really the main factor in deciding if a blepharoplasty is appropriate for you. More importantly, it is whether the surgery will accomplish the change that you desire. From your picture, you appear to have fullness in your eyelid area, giving the appearance of eyelid bags. This typically occurs as the fat pads around the eye protrude forward, giving the appearance of fullness. The main goal of a lower blepharoplasty is to remove only the excess fat that is protruding forward to make the eyelid blend more smoothly with your cheek. Your eyelid is otherwise youthful with good eyelid position and smooth skin. From this picture, it appears that you only need a conservative blepharoplasty to just address the herniated fat. The safest approach is to remove this fat is through an incision inside the eyelid. This avoids a skin incision and also limits disruption to the muscle and supporting structures of the eyelid. A conservative removal of fat will minimize the risk of appearing hollow as you age in the future. It is important to see a qualified surgeon that can examine your eyes in person and further discuss the surgery with you in detail.

Blepharoplasty Is Safe If Done By An Experienced Board Certified Plastic Surgeon

October 22nd, 2013

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Thank you for your question. Your age is not a factor in determining safety of blepharoplasty. The most important factor is whether you have eyelid aging changes which can be properly corrected with a blepharoplasty.

The most important factor for your safety however is the skill and experience of your plastic surgeon. Not all plastic surgeons are comfortable doing eyelid surgery which is a very complex art and requires skill and experience for the safest result.

Consult a plastic surgeon who is certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery and experienced in eyelid or oculoplastic surgery. Asked to see the doctors results and ask to speak to patients who have had surgery by that doctor. If possible find friends who have had surgery by that plastic surgeon.

Once you find an experienced board certified surgeon you are comfortable with you should be able to proceed.

Eyelid Surgery Pictures

Fillers Work Well For Diminishing Lower Lid Bags

October 24th, 2013

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In an otherwise healthy young person, blepharoplasty when performed by an experienced aesthetic surgeon should be safe. However, to my mind, the question is not so much whether such surgery is safe, but whether it should be the measure of first resort, since today we have a number of very gratifying nonsurgical lower lid rejuvenation procedures that engender no cutting, no stitches and little or no downtime.

Many of the changes we typically encounter in the lower lids with the passage of time--namely tear trough deformities, hollows and bags, result from shrinkage, shriveling, and a downward descent of the once robust, heart-shaped fat pad that sat immediately under the lower lids and extended out toward the temples, inward toward the root of the nose, and downward about half-way to the angles of the mouth. The loss of this volume and its downward displacement in the direction of the jaw (due to weakening of the supporting ligaments and the downward pull of gravity) elongates the lower lid to several times its narrow youthful width and leaves it somewhat sunken. In addition, like a balloon having lost its air after being fully inflated for a long while, the skin of the lower eyelid fails to snap back to its youthful smoothness, and instead remains crinkled and baggy.

Today, we can attempt to address these problems nonsurgically with the injection of fillers and volumizing agents to restore the volume to the lower lids and recontour them, mask the bags, and diminish the darkish discoloration.

A variety of have been tried for these purposes. My personal favorites for dealing with tear troughs--for providing overally smoothness, shape and lift-- are the recently approved Belotero Balance and Restylane L. When more cheek support and buttressing are needed for the lower eyelid, the upper inner cheek immediately below may be supplemented with with Perlane L, known for its lifting capacity.

In my experience, while more prominent bagging, as appears to be the case from the photo provided, may be improved considerably with this approach, some degree pf bagging typically persists following treatment. On the other hand, for mild to moderate bags, it usually takes about five minutes to treat each lower lid with immediate that typically evoke a "Wow!" response from patients when they look in the mirror.

While minimal bruising, tenderness, swelling and redness may occur following treatment in this delicate region, these are usually temporary and disappear spontaneously within one to seven days. Most people can return to work or social activities immediately or the following day and coverup may be used if desired.

Eyelid Surgery in Your Thirties

October 23rd, 2013

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If you are in your thirties you are likely healthy. Due to normal variations in facial anatomy, some patients can exhibit lower eyelid bags very prematurely. Lack of midface or cheek support to the lower lids is a common contributing factor. Skin, muscle and fat can be affected to varying degrees. Treatement can range from botox injections, fillers, lasers, fat removal only, fat transfer to a full eyelid lift. Your photos only show your eyelids in one position and without its relation to the rest of the face. As such, a full evaluation and recommendation cannot be made without full information and examination while your face is animated. Consult with a board certified plastic surgeon for additional information. Best wishes.

Okay for a 32 -year-old to have a lower blepharoplasty

October 22nd, 2013

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It is certainly acceptable to undergo a lower blepharoplasty at age 32. It's important to have indications to undergo the procedure such as herniated fat bags, creating the puffiness look. These bags are removed through a trans-conjunctival lower blepharoplasty. For examples please see the link below

Lower blepharoplasty at 32

October 22nd, 2013

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At such a young age it is uncommon to have lower eyelid surgery; however, some may have familial fat deposits in the lower lid that respond well to transconjunctival blepharoplasty. If the deposits are mild, there can be other ways to conceal so be sure to ask at your consultation.

Is Blepharoplasty safe?

October 22nd, 2013

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Eyelid surgery is generally a very safe procedure, but any surgery has risks. Based on your photos you would benefit from a lower lid blepharoplasty for excess fat pad removal. Consult with an experienced surgeon to discuss your interests.

Blepharoplasty for the young

October 22nd, 2013

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There's no specific "age cut-off" for blepharoplasty procedures. In general, I advise my patients that facial surgical results, no matter how perfect the outcome, have a lifespan. My advice? Pursue non-surgical options until those are no longer providing you the result you want. At your age, the tear "trough deformity" that is displayed in your picture is accentuating your eye "puffiness". A good solution may be Restylane injections to fill that trough. Although it's an "off-label use", it can smooth the lower lid contour and dramatically improve your appearance. I recommend finding a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon in your area that has experience with this procedure. After a thorough eye exam, they can discuss appropriate options with you. Good Luck!

Lower eyelid surgery options for 32 year-old

Generally, there are a few options to improve the appearance of the
lower eyelids, eye bags, or dark circles. First option includes basic
skin care, tretinoin, and/or chemical peels. This nonsurgical method
helps improve the skin quality, reduce pigmentary changes, and improves
overall appearance of the lower eyelid & cheek areas.

Second more advanced option is an injectable filler or fat to plump up
the area. Fillers are made of material that is slowly removed over time.
Facial fillers treatment is performed in the office vial local
anesthesia. Examples include Restylane or Belotero.

The last option, and also the most aggressive, is eyelid plastic
surgery. Cosmetic surgery of the lower eyelid may remove or reposition
fat in the eye bag area, and possible remove some sagging skin. Plastic
surgeons typically don't recommend cosmetic eyelid surgery in young
patients. However, each patient is unique and circumstances may vary.
Age alone is not a determining factor if a person is a cosmetic surgery
candidate.

Only after a comprehensive evaluation can a specialist help determine appropriate options for you. Best of luck.

These answers are for educational purposes and should not be relied upon as
a substitute for medical advice you may receive from your physician. If you
have a medical emergency, please call 911. These answers do not constitute
or initiate a patient/doctor relationship.